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I went back to Kew today with my friend for a day of taking photos despite having just been for O.H's birthday. I know back in a week, bit mad but was really looking forward to being able to take photos without the pressure of non photographers waiting for me (it can be really dull if you're waiting for someone to finish being 'creative' when you've nothing to do). Anyway I was really chuffed with the results:

Discovered a new macro setting on one of my lenses which gave some really good results, thanks Soph!

This should go under 'animals do the funniest things', this Canadian goose went a little bonkers sticking their tongue out for a good five minutes.

I was really pleased with these flower photographs. I might experiment and use them in my new ideas for jewellery - will wait and see if it works though...

The good thing about Kew is that there are always some birds as well as plants. This seagull was hanging out with geese, ducks and coots who were all having a preen fest.

I love the way the light comes through this leaf in the Rainforest exhibition.

I missed this last time I came, was part of the Mexican Day of the Dead exhibit. It was only when I got the picture home did I realise how scary she was!!!

It was O.H.s birthday last weekend and we went to Kew for the day. I've got into the habit now of taking pictures during the journey, this time on the train:

Tracks, train and graffiti

Waiting for a train at Clapham

Reflection of a lady sat opposite during the journey﻿

Kew amazes me as every time I visit there is always something new or something you haven't noticed before. We went with his sister and brother in law who is also a photographer. It was good to have someone to bounce ideas off. Last year there were some amazing butterflies in the Princess of Wales conservatory, this year it was transformed into the rain forest. This inspired green, green, green:

The green has inspired some experiments with shrink plastic which I will be posted about once I photograph the finished product. It's great to get inspiration whilst out and about.

Last year it was butterflies - this year lizards. Apparently there were about 10 in the building, we only spotted two.

And finally there was the celebration of the Mexican Day of the Dead. Not quite green but I loved the macabre celebration of death along with life.

Life has been a little odd in London in the past few weeks to say the least. I was at O.H.'s in North London at the weekend of the riots and heard the sirens rushing by. I don't think I've heard so many, it was surreal. Waking up on the Sunday to see the images of what had happened during the night was incredible and I remember thinking what I would feel if that happened to my local area. Well it wasn't long before I found out as Brixton suffered from a similar fate the following night.

Brixton is no stranger to riots and indeed I had moved to Brixton three days before that last major set in the late 90s but this was different. It seemed mindless with no fixed agenda other than greed. Brixton will rise again as it always done but it was so sad given how far Brixton has come in the past 15 years. I just hope that we haven't gone back to square one!

Anyway here are some images of the worst effected buildings in the High Street which is hopefully only a temporary appearance:

Footlocker which was the worst effected building as far as I could tell having been gutted by fire but only once it had been looted.

This is on the doors of the fabulous Morleys, Brixton's local department store with a view of the front below:

But as you can see Brixton carries on, defiant as always:

The images I've taken are of the buildings showing the scars of the riots and most of the High Street is repaired and has carried on. The only way is up! Here is to happier times.....

Well how time flies. Apologies for the lengthy delay in the out put. So much has happened both at the home of Martha Love and the outside world. The first reason for radio silence was building work in my bedroom (dry lining the outside wall so hopefully I'll be nice and cosy during the winter months....). The work meant I was camping out in the craft room which stifled creativity some what! Anyway here is during:

And after:

As you can see Bert has already made himself at home!

And it has been a month of butterflies and months. Here is an amazing moth that found itself on my bathroom window

I think it's a tiger moth but do correct me if I'm wrong. I did have a look at the trusty insect and butterfly book but it wasn't 100% clear! The picture is a little surreal as you can see the reflection of my block in the glass but still, moth in urban environment!

And then last weekend O.H. and I went to Golders Hill Park in North London near Hampstead Heath to meet up with a group of friends and there was a small but amazing butterfly house:

And this would you believe is a butterfly. Honest, a butterfly not a leaf:

No I wouldn't have believed it either if I hadn't seen it do this:

Nature at it's camouflage best!

Anyway now that the building work has finished and I've had sometime off I've had a chance to do a bit of experimenting with some new ideas for stamps which I will try and photograph soon. And being the Brixtonian that I am there will be some depressing pictures to follow soon (I promise) of what my high street now looks like following the riot spree of last week. Will London ever be the same....